OLDSMOBILE AURORA · model year

1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA

38 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999OLDSMOBILEAURORA carries 38 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 5 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 AURORA is electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash with 3 filings, followed by electrical system (2) and air bags:frontal (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 13 investigation files overlapping the 1999 AURORA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

38
Complaints
3
Crashes
5
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

38 filings

Crashes Reported

3 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING2
STEERING2
WHEELS:RIM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1

Recent Complaints

20141124AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED FACIAL INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

20131106CrashSERVICE BRAKES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 99V081000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000. UPDATED 10/2/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED SHE CAME OUT OF A STORE TO FIND IT WAS SNOWING. AT THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WENT UP ON A SNOW BANK. UPDATED 3/30/2015 *JS

Mileage: 175,000

20120515FireSEATS

ON 5/11/2012 MY 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA WAS PARKED AT MY HOUSE AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM AND APPARENTLY OVERNIGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS LIMITED TO THE BASE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AND CENTER CONSOLE BUT CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE CAR, INCLUDING SMOKE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE INTERIOR. *JS

20120515FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ON 5/11/2012 MY 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA WAS PARKED AT MY HOUSE AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM AND APPARENTLY OVERNIGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS LIMITED TO THE BASE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT AND CENTER CONSOLE BUT CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE CAR, INCLUDING SMOKE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE INTERIOR. *JS

20110920SUSPENSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE TRACTION CAUSING THE CONTACT TO MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CONSISTENTLY HAVE THE AUTOMATIC TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATED BUT IT DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 132,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 82,000

20110314AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG ABRUPTLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE DIAGNOSED FOR THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

Mileage: 116,000

20100211STEERING

DEAR SIR: I HAVE A 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA THAT I PURCHASED NEW, WITH A DELIVERY DATE OF 09/22/1999. THE CAR IS USED PRIMARILY BY MY WIFE WITH APPROXIMATELY 78,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WE HAVE KEPT THE CAR UP AND NOW FIND A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR THAT WE FEEL IS NEITHER OF OUR DOING NOR A NORMAL WARE ITEM. IN THE PAST TWO (2) YEAR THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BECOME LOOSE INTERNALLY. TODAY AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE WRITER SAYS THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REMOVED TO TIGHTEN THE THREE (3) BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE COLUMN ASSEMBLY TOGETHER COSTING $540.00. MY WIFE IS HAVING OTHER ITEMS WORKED ON TODAY AT THE DEALERSHIP, BUT IS VERY RELUCTANT TO PERFORM THE STEERING COLUMN WORK BECAUSE SHE BELIEVES, AS I DO, THAT THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE A SAFETY ITEM GM SHOULD PAY FOR. WE UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CARS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY RECALL NOTICE. UNDER THE PRESENT RECALL ATMOSPHERE, I AM ASKING THAT GM REPAIR THE STEERING COLUMN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOR SAFET

Mileage: 78,000

20090622FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL LINES WERE CRACKING BECAUSE THEY WERE MADE FROM NYLON MATERIALS. OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE COULD SMELL A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. IN ADDITION, GASOLINE WOULD DRIP ONTO THE MOTOR IN MASSIVE QUANTITIES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS LISTED UNDER HIS VIN; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH ANY REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 120,000.

Mileage: 120,000

20071213WHEELS:RIM

LAST YEAR I TOOK MY 1999 AURORA IN TO TIRE DEALER DUE TO VERY SLOW LEAK IN TIRE. THE TIRE DEALER SAID THE SLOW LEAK WAS COMMON IN GM VEHICLES WITH ALUMINUM RIMS. THEY SAID THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO ALUMINUM OXIDE CORROSION BETWEEN THE RIM AND TIRE BEAD. 1-2 TIMES PER MONTH THE TIRES LOOK LOW AND I HAVE TO FILL THEM. TODAY I FINALLY TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE TIRE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY SAID THE ONLY PERMANENT SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE RIMS. THE CAR ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

20060528FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

AFTER DEALER HAD SERVICED LIGHT SYSTEM. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT HOME AND PARKED. VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE SEVERAL HOURS LATER AND BURNED WHILE UNATTENDED AT NIGHT. *JB

Mileage: 93,000

20060528FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

AFTER DEALER HAD SERVICED LIGHT SYSTEM. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT HOME AND PARKED. VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE SEVERAL HOURS LATER AND BURNED WHILE UNATTENDED AT NIGHT. *JB

Mileage: 93,000

20060524FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. I TOOK CAR TO DEALER BECAUSE TAIL LIGHTS QUIT WORKING. DEALER DID NOT HAVE PARTS IN STOCK SO I TOOK IT HOME. THE NEXT MORNING I WENT OUTSIDE AND FOUND THE CAR HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNT. IT APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE AREA OF THE RELAYS THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WORKED ON. *JB

Mileage: 90,000

20051120WHEELS:RIM

1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA ALUMINUM RIMS LEAK AIR. THEY HAVE LEAKED AIR SINCE NEW. *NM

20041207ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)

SOMETIMES ON START UP THE ENGINE SHAKES AND SMELLS OF FUMES ARE VERY STRONG AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BUT AFTER MAYBE A COUPLE OF DAYS OF OFF AND ON CYCLING THE CAR RETURNS TO NORMAL OPERATION AND AFTER A WHILE IT WILL DO THE SAME THING OVER. *AK

20040811STEERING

STEERING FAILED WHILE TURNING LEFT ON 1999 OLDS AURORA WITH 34,000 MILES WITH NO INDICATION OF A STEERING PROBLEM BEFORE THE FAILURE. TURNING RIGHT WAS FINE, BUT THE CAR COULD NOT MAKE ANY LEFT TURN UNLESS IT WAS ONLY A MINOR MOVEMENT TO THE LEFT WHILE TRAVELING AT LESS THAN 10 MPH. GM PAID FOR 50% OF REPAIRS, BUT A FAILURE LIKE THIS WITH NO WARNING NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MY WIFE WAS USING THE CAR AND THE STEERING FAILED WHILE SHE WAS PARKING IT. IF THE FAILURE HAD HAPPENED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE CAR I CAN GUARANTEE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE WHEN THE STEERING FAILS, INSTANTLY, YOU CAN'T MAKE A LEFT TURN UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *JB

20040801ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA AND HAVE NOTICED THE PASSENGER FLOOR ACCUMULATING LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER. WHEN I REMOVED THE REAR SEAT ( WHICH IS WHERE THE BATTERY AND OTHER ELECTRICIAL WIRES ARE LOCATED ) THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT IS FULL OF WATER, ALONG WITH THE REAR FLOOR BOARD. IT HAS NOT RAINED SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THE WATER HAS COME FROM OR HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN THERE. I CLEANED THE WATER OUT, BUT IT HAS SINCE COME BACK IN A VERY RAPID TIME FRAME. IF YOU COULD PLEASE CONTACT ME IT WOULD BE GREAT.. OLDSMOBILE HAS NO INFORMATION ON THIS FOR ME.*AK

Mileage: 87,550

20040630EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAY/NIGHT HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS FLICKERED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK HEADLIGHTS, PARKING LIGHT AND STOP LIGHT ALSO FLASHED INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH DUE TO INTERNAL FAILURE ON HEAD LAMP SWITCH, AND MANUFACTURER HASN'T ACKNOWLEDGED THE SAFETY OR PRODUCT QUALITY PROBLEM ON THE VEHICLE. *LA

Mileage: 55,000

20040525ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND CONSEQUENCE DESCRIBED IN THE IGNITION -ANTI THEFT RECALL 95V204000, BUT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

Mileage: 100,441

20040426STEERING:COLUMN

I AM HEARING A POPPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END OF CAR 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THERE IS ALSO TIMES WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES WHEN TURNING THAT IT VIBRATES IN THE PEDAL AND STEERING COLUMN, ALSO I HAVE BEEN NOTICING WATER UNDER PASSENGER FRONT SEAT IN WHICH THIS IS RUINING MY CARPET AND LEATHER SEATS NOT TO MENTION THE ELECTRIC WIRING SYSTEM UNDER THE SEAT. I CAN GIVE YOU THE VIN.# [XXX], SO YOU CAN PULL INFO ON CAR AND LET ME KNOW WHAT INFO AND OUTSTANDING RECALLS THERE ARE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

20040426EQUIPMENT

I AM HEARING A POPPING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END OF CAR 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. THERE IS ALSO TIMES WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES WHEN TURNING THAT IT VIBRATES IN THE PEDAL AND STEERING COLUMN, ALSO I HAVE BEEN NOTICING WATER UNDER PASSENGER FRONT SEAT IN WHICH THIS IS RUINING MY CARPET AND LEATHER SEATS NOT TO MENTION THE ELECTRIC WIRING SYSTEM UNDER THE SEAT. I CAN GIVE YOU THE VIN.# [XXX], SO YOU CAN PULL INFO ON CAR AND LET ME KNOW WHAT INFO AND OUTSTANDING RECALLS THERE ARE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Compare 1999OLDSMOBILEAURORA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA have?
The 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA has 38 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 5 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA?
The most-complained component for the 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1999 OLDSMOBILE AURORA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.